Dividing and reinforcing means for concrete roadways



Feb. 8, 1938. J. w. KERR 2,107,827

DIVIDING AND REINFORCING MEANS FOR CONCRETE ROADWAYS Filed July 17, 1934 8 9 I 176% Hlffrr, 5 Ly.

Patented Feb. 8, 1938 DIVIDING AND REINFORCING MEANS FOR.

CONCRETE ROADWAYS John .Willard Kerr, Chicago, 111., assignor to Ernest H. Geyer, Chicago, 111.

Application July 17, 1934, Serial No. 735,671

3 Claims.

My invention relates to dividing and reinforcing means for concrete roadways and has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive joint strip and dowel rod which will serve the purpose of holding the slabs of opposite sides of the middle of the roadway firmly against relative vertical movement, and will at the same time permit such hinging along the mid-line as may be caused by unavoidable stress. A further object of my invention is to provide a joint strip of simple construction that will hold the dowel rod horizontal. A further object of my invention is to provide improved means for connecting successive sections of joint'strip.

With the objects above enumerated and other objects hereinafter explained in view, my invention consists in the construction and combination of elements hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a roadway showing my dividing and reinforcing or joint strip in position.

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 3 is a vertical 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing a cap strip for the upper edge of the joint strip.

Figure 4a is a fragmentary top plan view of the cap strip.

Figure 5 is a side view showing my connecting strip in position.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the clip.

Figure 8 shows the dowel rod bent into double S-shape.

In the drawing, l indicates the central portion of an underlying roadbed ready to receive a concrete roadway. 2, 2, indicate roadforms usually arranged longitudinally of the roadway at its side edges. 3 indicates a longitudinally extending joint strip preferably are shaped in cross section arranged midway between and parallel with road forms 2, 2, to separate the concrete of the roadway into a right hand and a left hand strip or slab to lessen the effect of expansion and contraction of the concrete, the joint strip consisting of a strip of sheet metal of a width corresponding to the depth of the concrete at the middle of the roadway, preferably slightly less in width than the depth of the concrete.

4 indicates a dowel rod carried by the joint strip in a plane between its upper and lower edges and extending laterally in both directions the joint strip. sectional view on line into the masses of concrete with the purpose of so holding them as to permit slight movement under the influence of heat or cold without permanent relative displacement. This dowel rod 4 consists of a metal rod of any desired diameter, usually a quarter or three-eighths of an inch, bent into zig-zag form so as to present on each side of a median line a succession of angles or hooks 4 4 4 4 4 4 In Figure 1 the angles or hooks 4 4 and 4 are shown as extending through joint strip 3. The joint strip is provided between its upper and lower edges with a series of longitudinal apertures 5 each of a length corresponding to the distance, on the median line of the zig-zag, between the two legs or angles or hooks 4 4 and 4 so that the angles or hooks on one side of the joint strip will extend into the concrete the same distance as do the angles or hooks on the other side. The dowel rod may be bent into various forms, as for instance, the double 8 shape shown in Figure 8.

The edges of longitudinal apertures 5 are preferably turned outward, so as to form parallel lips 5 and 5 on the inside of the are which serve to hold the dowel rod in horizontal position. 25 These lips may be pressed toward each other to clamp the dowel rod between them.

If desired the joint strip may be provided with additional apertures 6 to receive additional dowel rods and the apertures may be on any line be- 30 tween the upper and lower edges of the joint strip.

Before completing the filling in of the concrete against the sides of the joint strip it is desirable to place on its upper edge the cap strip l2 shown in Figure 4. This consists of a horizontal top portion II from the opposite edges of which depend flanges I2 and I3, the lower edges of which are bent outward to form horizontal flanges I 4 and I 5. In these flanges are found 40 openings [6 large enough to permit concrete to flow through them.

In order that the joint strip may be continuous, separate strips 3 must be held together at the meeting ends. For this purpose the strips are provided near their ends with vertical apertures l and the strips are held together by tongues 8, 8, extending through these apertures I from a clip plate 9, the upper edge portion In of which is bent over the contiguous upper edges of the two strips 3.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:-

1. A dividing and reinforcing strip for concrete roadways comprising a flat metal strip having straight upper and lower edges and having between its edges a row of longitudinally extending apertures and an anchoring member of such zig-zag form as to present angularly projecting members extending laterally in opposite directions from a median line, the apertures in said metal strip being each of such length as to permit an angular projection of the anchoring member to be passed through it. I

2. A dividing and reinforcing strip for concrete roadways comprising a flat metal strip having straight upper and lower edges and having between its edges a row of longitudinally extending apertures and an anchoring member of such zig-zag form as to present angularly projecting members extending laterally in opposite directions from a median line, the apertures in said metal strip being each of such length as to permit an angular projection of the anchoring memher to be passed through it, and each having its longitudinal edges outturned to form a guide and support for the anchor member.

3. A dividing and reinforcing strip for concrete roadways comprising a flat metal strip having straight upper and lower edges and having between its edges a row of longitudinally extending apertures and an anchoring member of such zig-zag form as to present angularly projecting members extending laterally in opposite directions from a median line, the apertures in said metal strip being each of such length as to permit an angular projection of the anchoring member to be passed through it, and each having its longitudinal edges outturned to form a guide and support for the anchor member, and caused to clamp the anchor member.

JGHN WILLARD KERR. 

